Regeneration of plantlets in Sapindus trifoiatus L.

Continuous production of healthy plantlets of Sapindus trifoliatus L. was achieved via somatic embryos from long term cultures of an embryogenic mass (EM). A highly embryogenic culture of S. trifoliatus L. was obtained by recurrent embryogenesis from somatic embryos cultured on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium supplemented with kinetin (2.3 microM) and benzyladenine (8.8 microM). The cultures could be maintained without reduction of embryogenic competence for more than 20 months by subculture at 4 week intervals. About 90% mature somatic embryos on transfer to basal MS medium, germinated to plantlets, of which more than 70% survived when transferred to a sand and soil mixture in green house.